The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare‘s profound musicianship, technical brilliance and charismatic presence on the podium has elevated him as one of the most sought after young conductors working regularly with the world’s leading orchestras. Join Rafael Payare, guest musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, as well as a few notable Venezuelan writers for a program that confronts Venezuela’s artistic culture in its ever-changing political and social landscape.

Rafael Payare will give insights into the PSO’s upcoming premiere of Inocente Carreño’s sweeping and spirited Margariteña, exploring the work’s expressive Venezuelan folk melodies and rhythms. Lead by PSO Associate Conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong, a string quartet of musicians from the PSO will perform two pieces by Venezuelan composers inspired by the culture and challenges of living in Venezuela. Writers will augment the musical presentation through works that reflect upon the artistic vibrancy and struggles of their homeland.

Featured Writers:

Storyteller and poet Enza García Arreaza (Venezuela) is the winner of multiple awards including the VII Literary Award “Cuento Contigo” from Casa de América (Spain, 2004) with the short story “The part that concerned to Caleb,” the Contest for Unpublished Authors, sponsored by Monte Ávila Editores with the short stories book Be Quiet Slowly ( 2008), and the III National University Literature Prize of Simon Bolívar University with her book The Forest of Birches (Equinoccio, 2010).

Enza is the author of the storybook Prayers for a Fox (2012), edited by bid & co. and of The untouched beast (2015) –first compilation of poems and illustrations, published in Bogota by Ediciones Isla de Libros. She attended the Guadalajara International Book Fair (Mexico) as part of the program “Ochenteros” for authors across the continent born in the 80’s. In 2017 she was a resident in the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa (Iowa City).

Oriette D’Angelo (Venezuela) studied Law at the Andrés Bello Catholic University (UCAB). She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Digital Communications at DePaul University in Chicago. She is also the editor and founder of the literary platform www.digopalabratxt.com, and writes about literature and feminism for Philos Magazine. She is the author of the book collection Cardiopatías (Caracas, Monte Ávila Editores, 2016, Prize for Works of Authors Unpublished, 2014). She was selected to write the prologue for the anthology of Venezuelan poetry Amanecimos Sobre la Palabra (Caracas, Team Poetero Ediciones, 2017). In 2015, she obtained second place in the I Chronicles Contest of the Caracas Insurance Foundation and in 2016 third place in the Ibero-American Poetry Contest “Letras de Libertad” from Un Mundo Sin Mordaza. Her poems appear in various anthologies published in Venezuela, Argentina, Mexico and Ecuador.